Jet nozzle having a light channel with an oblong cross-sectional area

Abstract

A jet nozzle for laser cladding along a direction of advance includes a light channel for conducting at least one laser beam directed onto a workpiece, and a powder unit arranged radially outside the light channel for conducting at least one jet of powder to be applied to the workpiece. A cross-sectional area of the light channel that is orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the jet nozzle deviates from a circular shape and is oblong in the direction of advance.

1 . A jet nozzle for laser cladding along a direction of advance, the jet nozzle comprising:
 a light channel for conducting at least one laser beam directed onto a workpiece; and   a powder unit arranged radially outside the light channel for conducting at least one jet of powder to be applied to the workpiece;   wherein a cross-sectional area of the light channel that is orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the jet nozzle deviates from a circular shape and is oblong in the direction of advance.   
     
     
         2 . The jet nozzle according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the cross-sectional area at a distal region of the jet nozzle formed by a mouth of the jet nozzle is configured as an elongated hole, in which two opposite ends of a rectangular section are each joined by a partial circular section.   
     
     
         3 . The jet nozzle according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the cross-sectional area is elongated in such a way that it is at least 1.5 times larger in the direction of advance than transverse to the direction of advance.   
     
     
         4 . The jet nozzle according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a center of the cross-sectional area is eccentric to a center of the at least one laser beam.   
     
     
         5 . The jet nozzle according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the light channel is configured to guide a plurality of laser beams, wherein the plurality of laser beams comprises a first laser beam as a primary beam and a second laser beam as a secondary beam.   
     
     
         6 . The jet nozzle according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the secondary beam is configured to interact less with the jet of powder than the primary beam, wherein the secondary beam is in front of the primary beam in the direction of advance in order to preheat the workpiece.   
     
     
         7 . The jet nozzle according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the secondary beam is configured to interact less with the jet of powder than the primary beam, wherein the secondary beam is behind the primary beam in the direction of advance in order to reheat the workpiece.   
     
     
         8 . The jet nozzle according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the plurality of laser beams further comprises a third laser beam as a tertiary beam which is configured to interact less with the jet of powder than the primary beam, wherein the primary beam is in front of the tertiary beam in the direction of advance.   
     
     
         9 . The jet nozzle according to  claim 5 , wherein
 in the plurality of laser beams, a first laser beam in front in the direction of advance is concentric in cross-section to a front partial circle section of the cross-sectional area, and/or a second laser beam at rear in the direction of advance is concentric in cross-section to a rear partial circle section of the cross-sectional area.   
     
     
         10 . The jet nozzle according to  claim 5 , wherein
 in the plurality of laser beams, a center of the cross-sectional area is congruent with a center of the plurality of laser beams.   
     
     
         11 . The jet nozzle according to  claim 5 , comprises only the light channel, so that the plurality of laser beams are guided within the jet nozzle without shielding from each other. 
     
     
         12 . The jet nozzle according to  claim 1 , wherein the jet nozzle is manufactured by an additive manufacturing process and comprises copper or a copper alloy. 
     
     
         13 . The jet nozzle according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a mouth of the nozzle has a chamfer by which a part of the mouth of the nozzle is cut off, wherein the chamfer is substantially planar and extends in a plane that is inclined relative to the longitudinal direction of the jet nozzle.